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Mizuho Aoki
Mizuho Aoki is a staff writer covering local news, including the current Tokyo gubernatorial race, education and aviation-related stories. She graduated from Hitotsubashi Universty with a degree in social science.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 29, 2014
U.K. orders child back to Japan under Hague Convention
A court in the United Kingdom has ordered that a Japanese child living with its mother in Britain be returned to Japan under The Hague Convention on cross-border parental child abduction, which took effect in Japan in April.
JAPAN
Jul 22, 2014
Japanese lawmakers say war-renouncing Constitution deserves Nobel Peace Prize
A group of lawmakers callfor the Nobel Committee to award Article 9 of the Constitution this year's Nobel Peace Prize, saying it would greatly encourage Japanese people as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes to expand the nation's military capacity.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 16, 2014
More than 17,000 sign petition for genitalia artist under arrest
Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that police free a Tokyo artist arrested on obscenity charges for distributing data that allowed recipients to make 3-D models of her vagina.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 14, 2014
Minesweeping in Mideast 'OK under changes'
The Cabinet's recent decision to reinterpret the pacifist Constitution means that Japan would be allowed to engage in a minesweeping operation in the Strait of Hormuz even without a cease-fire in place, as long as three self-imposed legal conditions would be met, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tells a special Diet session.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 9, 2014
Tokyo to inspect 'dappo' narcotics sellers
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to inspect stores suspected of selling quasi-legal narcotics, after the Cabinet called for a crackdown on so-called “dappo” drugs.
JAPAN
Jul 3, 2014
Japan outlines sanctions reward for N. Korea's action on abductions
Japan will lift some of its sanctions on North Korea to reward the progress it has made in setting up an “unprecedented” panel to reinvestigate the abduction issue.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 30, 2014
North's missiles may have sent different message
As Japanese and North Korean envoys prepared to hold talks Tuesday, Tokyo faced the difficulty of assessing Pyongyang's seriousness in its promised inquiry into the fates of abducted citizens while apparently snubbing Japan and other neighbors Sunday with a pair of missiles fired into the ocean.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 27, 2014
Defense revamp imperils Afghan aid: doctor
Physician Tetsu Nakamura, 67, tries to take a different route to work each day and varies his departure times because that is the safest way to live in Taliban-troubled eastern Afghanistan.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 26, 2014
Broader foreign aid urged
Japan should expand its use of overseas development assistance by targeting new regions and projects and consider funding noncombat operations led by foreign military forces, a panel said Thursday in a report to Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 24, 2014
Abe and Aquino pledge stronger security ties
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Benigno Aquino III pledged Tuesday to deepen security cooperation, at a time when their countries are facing growing military assertiveness from China.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 23, 2014
Abe looks to put his stamp on foreign aid
Next up for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe? Figuring out how to put official development assistance (ODA) to "strategic" use so the international aid program can help Japan make a more "proactive contribution" to world peace, one of Abe's pet policy goals.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 20, 2014
Language professionals call for court interpreter qualification regime
Legal and linguistic professionals think a qualification system is needed for court interpreters to weed out incompetent ones who might be doing more harm than good, a recent survey says.
JAPAN
Jun 17, 2014
Food not checked for radiation poses risk in Fukushima: study
Eating unchecked homegrown vegetables and wild game from radiation-tainted areas on a regular basis can lead to high levels of internal radiation exposure, according to the results of a study published Tuesday in the U.S. online science journal PLOS ONE.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 12, 2014
Japan, China trade claims over latest aerial provocation
Tokyo and Beijing traded blame Thursday over the second close and potentially dangerous encounter in just over two weeks between Chinese SU-27 fighter jets and Japanese reconnaissance planes over the East China Sea.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 11, 2014
Japan, Australia discuss joint development of military technology
The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and Australia held a meeting to discuss how they will cooperate in developing defense equipment and technology.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 10, 2014
Tensions mount over security talks
A showdown looms as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pressures the ruling coalition to agree to overhaul Japan's pacifist security stance, possibly as early as Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 6, 2014
Japan announces further Ukraine aid
Japan will release about ¥26 million in emergency funds to help evacuees from Crimea and eastern Ukraine, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2014
JICA said funding Myanmar evictions
Villagers from Myanmar visit the Japan International Cooperation Agency to demand a probe into its decision to fund an industrial project that is costing them their homes.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
May 30, 2014
Abe taking gamble by trusting North Korea
Prime Minister Abe is taking a big gamble by trusting notorious North Korea because disappointing results from the abduction probe could have a high political price.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 27, 2014
Abe vows to get more women into workforce after dismal global ranking
The prime minister told an audience of female business executives that he is committed to boosting the number of women in the workforce in a bid to help Japan's ailing economy.

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Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
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